This article was published on: 09/28/11 12:00 AM
Deschutes River Conservancy a thought leader in water conservation
September
27, 2011 | Marisa Hossick, Deschutes River Conservancy
The Deschutes River Conservancy regularly serves as a resource for
regional groups seeking to learn from the successes of the
collaborative restoration model in the Deschutes Basin. Recently, the
DRC hosted tours for two delegations from Colorado and Arizona that were
interested in seeing how agricultural and environmental interests can
work together to solve long-term water needs.
The first stop on the tours was the Three Sisters Irrigation District (TSID) on Whychus Creek,
a shining example of what can happen when collaborative problem solving
is put into place. The visitors learned how restoration efforts in Whychus Creek have increased streamflows and revived fish habitats. The DRC & TSID
partnered to install pipe in place of leaking canals, saving water and
also providing irrigators with pressurized and more reliable water. In
addition to the benefits for the fish and irrigators, an in-pipe
hydropower plant will provide 375 households with renewable energy.
General
Manager of Natural Resources for the Confederated Tribes of the Warms
Springs Reservation, Bobby Brunoe, discussed the genesis and early
history of the DRC. The tour heard about how the creation of the
Conservancy was aimed at avoiding a breakdown of collaboration in the
basin. Tribal, Agricultural and Environmental interests all convened to
solve long-term water needs in a consensus and market-based way.
The next stop was the Camp Polk Meadow Preserve
where the groups saw the massive restoration project underway by the
DRC, Upper Deschutes Watershed Council and the Deschutes Land Trust.
Using increased flows from the DRC’s various conservation projects, this
stretch of the creek and floodplain is being restored to its original
streambed in a reach where salmon and steelhead historically spawned. In
addition to fish, this project will improve water quality, recreational
benefits and flood control.
Following Camp Polk, the tours
visited family farmers and ranchers in the area who have seen the
benefits of water conservation and streamflow restoration. Sarah
Lawrence of Rainshadow Organics has restructured her family’s farm to
grow organic produce sold to consumers and restaurants throughout
Central Oregon. Lawrence and the Simpsons of the Simpson Elk Ranch all
expressed their enthusiasm about conservation efforts in Whychus Creek
which have enabled Three Sisters Irrigation District to deliver
pressurized water to their farms with more reliability throughout the
irrigation season.
The tour ended with a stop at the hydropower
facilities at Swalley and Central Oregon Irrigation Districts. While
piping the main canals of these two districts to reduce water loss, the
districts installed in-pipe hydro-electric generators, which together
will create enough renewable energy to power several hundred households.
DRC Program Manager, Zach Tillman
helped to coordinate these tours. “That’s the tricky thing about water: every basin is different,” Tillman said. “The Colorado River Basin is
very big and complex, so we learn from their experiences as well as
sharing some of our success stories from the Deschutes. Tours like this
allow professionals to exchange experiences and ideas that may one day
be useful in other basins.”
Photo: Doug Von Gausig
Tour members learning about the restoration efforts at
Whychus Creek in Sisters, Oregon.